FUN :)

Inspirational!!!

Fabulous and inspirational photo. I be he smiles every time he thinks of that day. Great capture Happy Birthday my friend!

Thank you Mike and you are always there for me!

Absolutely fantastic capture !! It is a very sweet action !!

A great candid shot of a brave boy. Of course the orca is thinking, "Mmmm, tastes just like chicken!"

Marvellous Dana and a happy birthday for tomorrow my RR friend.

Thank you for always remembering Jeff!

A happy boy! I share the reservations about these highly intelligent animals trapped in these places, but a lovely photo!

Great image - he looks so happy!!!

The Earth's ever-growing human population is reshaping its ecosysyems. Just as in any ecosystem, creatures have to make a living, as it were. It is no different for Orcas than it is for human factory workers, unnatural for both, but a way to survive.

Looks doggy to me one day he may get out of bed on the wrong side or feel a bit hungry.

That should read Dodgy.

Fantastic pic

mignon

Amazing what a brave and lovely young boy, it would be nice as he could see this photo, WOW!

VERY scary, but that would be SO cool!! I've always wondered if they feel like wet rubber, smooth and slippery. Back in the 70's we lived in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and there was a Sea World not far from us. We used to love to go there. While I liked the whale and dolphin show, my favorite attraction were the pearl divers. You'd pay (don't remember anymore how much it was) and you'd get a little dish to take over to where they had Japanese pearl divers and they'd swim to the bottom of a deep pond they were in, grab an oyster and bring it up and put it in your dish. Then you took it to a counter where they had people opening oysters. It was always fun to see who got what kind of pearl. I happened to get a perfect, pearly-white pearl that was the biggest one they had so far for that year. Now, as far as whales and dolphins, we now know so much more about them and how intelligent they really are.

I remember those pearl divers and enjoyed watching them. I don't remember buying an oyster but it was fun to watch others getting their oysters opened.

Lovely capture. xx

I read all about the controversy about captive animals of all kinds; I'm all for keeping everything where it should be and not in a cage, but sometimes there are good reasons for some animals in captivity. Not sure about orcas, but I'm sure that boy has had a love of them all his life after this. Interaction with another species in this way is amazing to the participants, although no one knows what the whale is thinking! Wonderful capture!

I gotta say there is NO WAY I would let my child so close to the mouth of a killer whale. This is crazy!

i think i would be a bit scared uging that killer whale myself. fab shot, Dana. best lg.. did not know it was your birthday, Dana. Happy Birthday..

Wonderful capture!!!

Oh, what a beautiful photo. I wonder what the whale is thinking? Definitely not "lunch"! I think these animals are intelligent enough to understand the joy they give to people like this young boy. I've seen the joy in my ex-ratties, and in my cat. She jumps on my shoulder and gives a love-bite on my cheek from time to time. Thanks for posting this. A memory/experience for life for this boy. :-)

The issue about captive whales aside, this is a great shot, Dana. That kid will remember that moment for the rest of his life!!

A very lovely capture! Happy Birthday, Dana!

Thank you for the birthday wishes and welcome back from your holiday! Je vous remercie pour les vœux d'anniversaire et bon retour de vos vacances!

Very impressive hug !! Excellent capture ! Happy birthday, Dana !

A wonderful capture, a brave boy indeed. Excellent shot and scan. Happy Birthday to you!!

Tout à fait étonnant mais un peu dangereux. Il faut bien connaître l'animal.

fantastic capture

from what I have read "Killer Whales" are not aggressive like people make them out to be. great capture Dana

What an awesome photo this is, Dana! That kid is very brave, but you can also see on his face that he's really enjoying the encounter. This is wonderful!

I hope this young man has an equally impressive photo of this exciting moment. Perhaps Sea World had one to sell him. But, I am sure their phot could not be any better than this. Whay an excellent shot! In an aside I also remember the pearl divers. I liked that and there was also an underwater ballet type show that I thought was very graceful. Last but not least a very happy belated birthday.

Thanks for the birthday wishes and I am posting some Zion photos for you. I did give his father my business card and offered to send them a photo since I was much closer than they were - I didn't hear from them!

wonderful